Shalom Holy Land

Holy Land Trip, Day 7, January 27, 2011

The final day.  All of the conflicting emotions of a great adventure coming to a close.  Certainly looking forward to being home and seeing Cameron and Eliza, but reluctant to say goodbye to Jerusalem.  Don't know why, but there is something of home in this place, there is that sense in my mind that I will be back.  I hope so.

Up early for morning prayer in the Old City.  Made a quick walk up to see the Western Wall again, and got a look at the old Jewish Cardo in the Jewish quarter.  There is so much here to call for your attention that you have to be careful not to lose track of time.  Got to the Holy Sepulcher about 6:30 a.m. - back to the hotel by 7:15 a.m. to get bags together.

Our group, all six busses, are to gather at the Garden Tomb at 9:30 a.m. for a worship service and communion.  I have mixed feelings about the Garden Tomb.  It is a beautiful place and it does give you a look at what it might have looked like, but my affinity is strong (clearly) for the Holy Sepulcher.  Some folks imagine that the Garden Tomb must be the site of the crucifixion/resurrection as the Holy Sepulcher is so ornate and filled with things that we don't find as much in western churches - in particular western protestant churches.  It has the feel of authenticity to me if for no other reason than the weight of the veneration of pilgirims for some 1600 years.

The guide who spoke with us did a great job of presenting the Garden Tomb.  What he said, and I agree, is that whether or not it is the actual location it is a great place to envision what happened and to have a time of worship.  Bishop Lindsay Davis of the Kentucky Conference of the United Methodist Church spoke and he was great in delivering an inspirational message and setting a great tone for a very worshipful communion experience.  Julie was one of the folks who assisted with the communion service which was very nice.

(I like this picture a lot.  At the Garden Tomb they have excavated a wine press.   This is our communion elements, with the excavated wine press in the background.  The gifts of God for the people of God.)

After the Garden Tomb we had a couple of hours of free time - some went to a store, some went back to the Old City one last time.  Guess where I went?  Uh, yes, back to the Old City and back to the Holy Sepulcher.

(inside - The Dome of the Holy Sepulcher)

(exterior of the Holy Sepulcher)

(courtyard of the Holy Sepulcher)

(crosses carved into the wall of the Holy Sepulcher by early Christian pilgirms)

(place where this present day pilgrim accepted the invitation to leave my own mark at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher - GCL and cross)

 From there, on to lunch at a place near the hotel and then to Yad Vashem - the Holocaust Museum.  We were alotted a couple of hours at Yad Vashem.  What a tremendous memorial to those who died and to those who lived and a stirring call to never forget what we humans are capable of, both at our worst and at our best.  The exhibits themselves are deeply moving, the architecture of the place is stunning and is not only viscerally engaging, but also participates in the total experience of the museum.  One walks out the doors at the end of the journey to a stunning vista of the land of Israel.  No words for this.

(view from the exit of Yad Vashem)

Dinner at the Olive Tree (our hotel) is followed by a bus ride to Ben Gurion Airport and after a bit of uncertainty at the airport (due to bad weather in the United States) our plane is on time and on schedule - we are headed home.
Shalom Rula (our guide), Charlie (our bus driver), and the wonderful people of the Holy Land.  It was every bit of what I had hoped for and beyond.